FILE — Boxer Travis Simms of Norwalk gestures during a press conference at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport Thursday afernoon. Simms will meet Canadian boxer Joachim Alcine for the WBA Super Welterweight Championship Saturday, the headline marquee of Fistic Fireworks. less

FILE — Boxer Travis Simms of Norwalk gestures during a press conference at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport Thursday afernoon. Simms will meet Canadian boxer Joachim Alcine for the WBA Super ... more

FILE — Boxer Tarvis Simms, boxer Travis Simms' twin brother, stands in a boxing ring at a gym where he trains in Bridgeport, Conn., Dec. 11, 2003. ``Tremendous'' Travis Simms Jr. and ``Marvelous'' Tarvis Simms are identical +twins+ who grew up in Norwalk, learned boxing from their father and trained at the John Harris Boxing Club. less

NORWALK -- Former Common Council member and boxing champion Travis Simms and his wife, Sandra Stokes, were arrested Sunday night, charged with second-degree breach of peace and interfering with an officer.

Simms and Stokes, both 41 and of 28 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Norwalk, were released after posting $1,000 bond each.

Officers were called to the Townhouse Gardens Apartment complex at 15 Madison Ave. at 10:55 p.m. Sunday for a fight involving up to 20 people, police said.

Police Lt. James Walsh said after officers arrived and tried to calm those yelling and shoving, a close relative of Simms, Sephylia Paulk, was encouraging everyone to not pay attention to police.

Sephylia Paulk is the sister of Larry Paulk, who was killed on Christmas Day 2007. Paulk had gone to Townhouse Gardens to help her boyfriend, Andre Stewart, mourn the loss of his father, police said.

But when Paulk tried to go into Stewart's parents' apartment, she was refused entry, Walsh said.

After she was arrested on charges of breach of peace and interfering with an officer, Stewart, 48, of 15 Madison Ave., Norwalk, was arrested for striking his sister in the head and stomach, Walsh said.

Simms, a former World Boxing Association's light middleweight champion and Larry Paulk's adopted brother, drove to the apartment complex to help Sephylia Paulk, police said.

When he arrived, Simms and a few others with him began talking to Paulk and Stewart in the squad car. The group was told to leave, Walsh said. But Simms then challenged police, screaming that he was a world-champion boxer and a common councilman, Walsh said.

Simms then led the group across the street toward the complex and began yelling and cursing at two officers, Walsh said.

One officer pulled out a Taser and pointed it at Simms, ordering him to the ground, Walsh said; Simms then began pacing back and fourth and Stokes got in between him and the officer

Stokes then walked up to the officer and pushed the hand holding the Taser away, Walsh said.

She then allegedly pointed a finger in the officer's face and began yelling at him. The officer pushed her hand away and she yelled at him telling him not to touch her and slapped his arm, Walsh said; she was then handcuffed and taken into custody.

Two officers then attempted to put Simms' hands behind his back, but he resisted the attempts to handcuff him, police said.

"He was ordered to stop fighting several times," Walsh said, but Simms began taking an aggressive stance and tried to pull away from the officers.

Officers then took him to the ground, but he kept thrashing his shoulders back and fourth.

"Due to his resistance, he was given numerous verbal commands to stop fighting, Walsh said.

Rather than using blunt force, an officer put his Taser on Simms' right upper back and discharged the stun gun, Walsh said.

Handcuffs were then placed around hid wrists, Walsh said.

Messages seeking comment were left for Simms and Stokes.

Simms was previously arrested in April 2010 when a fight between he and his boxing brother Tarvis turned violent and guns and knives were brandished.

The two have since participated in court diversionary programs to dispose of the criminal charges. It is not known if Sunday's incident will jeopardize this agreement with state prosecutors to have those charges expunged.

Simms served on the Common Council for two years but in 2011 was unable to obtain the Democratic Party's endorsement to represent his South Norwalk district for another term.

Earlier this month, the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame announced that it was inducting Simms as one of six new members.